Kennedy’s will close Dec. 22 after more than 60 years of business

Rebekkah+Flanagan+picks+up+her+History+104+book+after+a+long+first+day+of+classes+at+Kennedys+Bookstore+in+Lexington%2C+Kentucky+on+Wednesday%2C+January+13%2C+2016.+Photo+by+Alex+Otte+%7C+Staff+File+Photo.

Rebekkah Flanagan picks up her History 104 book after a long first day of classes at Kennedy’s Bookstore in Lexington, Kentucky on Wednesday, January 13, 2016. Photo by Alex Otte | Staff File Photo.

News Staff

Kennedy’s Wildcat Den will soon be permanently closing its doors.

An email sent to customers Sunday night announced that Kennedy’s will be closing on Dec. 22, 2017, after 67 years of business.

“After 67+ wonderful years as a locally owned family business, Kennedy’s is closing our doors permanently Dec. 22nd,” wrote store manager Carol Kennedy Behr. “It has been a joy and a privilege serving the UK community. Thank you to all of our many customers who made us the #1 bookstore in Wildcat Country.”

Along with being general manager, Behr is the daughter of Kennedy’s founder Joe Kennedy.

In April, the Kennedy family sold its location to Core Campus Investment Partners, the Herald-Leader reported. But in June, CCI swapped the property, along with the property where the Fazoli’s used to be, for a different parcel of land. UK is now the owner of the property that Kennedy’s and the former Fazoli’s sits on.

The UK Bookstore is Kennedy’s main competitor. While it has been located several blocks away while the student center is under construction, it will soon be reopened in the new student center, which is just across South Limestone from Kennedy’s.

In the email to customers, Kennedy’s announced a 40 percent off storewide sale. Students are reminded to return their rental textbooks by Dec. 16 and to use all Kennedy’s gift cards by Dec. 22.